(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) We spoke to the dysfunctional and super rich Mehra family of Dil Dhadakne Do during their visit to Dubai for the Arab Indo Bollywood Awards.
Who says the rich have it easy. At the end of the day they are human beings too with their share of problems and conflicts. A story about the angst of a posh family who are out vacationing on a cruise ship Dil Dhadakne Do is set to release in the UAE today. In the film cruise becomes a metaphor for family; you have to stick together and cannot leavein the midst of choppy waters no matter what.
We spoke to Priyanka Chopra Anushka Sharma Shefali Shah Ranveer Singh Anil Kapoor and producer Ritesh Sadhwani about the much-awaited family drama directed by Zoya Akhtar.
‘She is a complete mess’
Priyanka Chopra explains her character Ayesha Mehra.
“She is probably the biggest mess in the film. My character is the only one who is never smiling because she doesn’t understand where her life is going and she doesn’t understand where she is coming from. She is in a marriage which is tumultuous so when your marriage is terrible and your hot ex-boyfriend comes into your life of course that is going to be a problem. Of course there is a great relationship between her and her father as well she is always looking for his approval her brother always has her back. So of course there is this amazing dynamics with everybody. Her mom is always snapping at her because she feels sort of ‘If I have lived in such troubled circumstances you should be brave through.’ Hence she is a mess on every level. After a long time I am playing a character that is feminine and is not beating up guys so I am nervous.”
On juggling an international TV series music career and Bollywood: “I love to do different things and I love to make the most of an opportunity. Walking uncharted territories excites me doing things that have never been done. I think it is the fear of the doing that drives me so much.”
Brother and sister
Ranveer and Priyanka discuss playing out their different dynamics in three different movies in one year.
Priyanka: “We have done three films back-to-back where we played boyfriend-girlfriend (Gunday) brother-sister (DDD) and now we are doing an extremely mature intense love story as husband and wife (Bajirao Mastani). It is a testament to the filmmaker who works with us who has given us faith to pull off different characters.”
Ranveer: “Yes I am so exotic (mocks Priyanka’s international hit number of the same name)I think I have a dysfunctional relationship with this entire crew. In the same year she has played my sister girlfriend and wife but I think this latest feeling is the most convincing.”
Priyanka: “This is our actual feeling towards each other.”
The ice-cold queen mother
Shefali Shah: “The role that I play is that of Neelam Mehra. She is Anil Kapoor’s wife and mother to Priyanka and Ranveer. She has this ice-cold queen attitude no one can break her everyone looks at her and says ‘Oh my god nothing can touch her’ but from inside she is extremely vulnerable she is lost she has a lot of complexes a lot of pain she has issues which she cannot deal with and probably to make up for that she has an extremely hard unapproachable exterior.”
When Priyanka was hit accidently by Anil Kapoor but kept working in spite of her nose bleeding...
Ranveer Singh: “Galla Goriyaan was a one-shot song and there was so much chaos there were arms flying and limbs flying and Priyanka got a huge whack on her face and started bleeding but continued the take. I think that take made it to the final print. When we finally did it together the entire cast and crew started dancing to the song.”
Priyanka: “Anil Sir you made me bleed. I have given my sweat and blood for this film.”
Anil: “How many times should I ask for your forgiveness?”
Priyanka: “We rehearsed a lot because we just had a window of dawn and dusk. Everyone knew what he or she was doing. I hope there is a behind the footage of the song because the most fun part is happening behind the camera. People are running pushing each other sweating while going to another area for the live shot.”
‘Girls just wanna have fun’
Anushka Sharma on the item number Girls like to Swing: “If you want to call this an item number then that’s the only item number that I would ever do on screen. This song is about women celebrating their choices. Its about girls having fun you see Priyanka and me having fun in this song. It is an item number I could relate to I had full faith in Zoya to do something like this. She understands how woman should be represented on screen.”
On Bollywood churning out more female-oriented movies: “I think it is a good sign because it will encourage producers to make more such films because at the end of the day it is all business. People only put their money where they think they will get some returns which they have with last year’s Mary Kom this year’s Piku my own film NH10 and now Tanu Weds Manu Returns. Now it is a growing trend but I strongly believe that the day we stop looking at films as female and male centric that will be great. This is just a step towards that. I think we all are here to make great films and ultimately whether it is a man or a woman playing the lead part the content is what’s most important. I think the women are choosing daring content. As an actor you are always trying to do different things.”
Girl bonding
Do they find it unfair that people think two actresses cannot be friends and always associate the term ‘catfight’ with them?
Ranveer (in a dramatic voice): “Between Anushka and Priyanka there was a huge fight on set...”
Anushka: “In fact one should talk about actors having fights because they are more competitive in a strange way whereas actresses are not. It is a mindset that people have that woman don’t have work and we don’t have a brain and we just want to throw stuff at each other whereas boys are bromancing which is FULLY FAKE.”
Priyanka: “I always feel that it is reducing women to being extremely insecure.”
Shefali: “It is sexist.”
ZOYA AKHTAR
Every actor wants to work with Zoya Akhtar in Bollywood what makes her stand out as a filmmaker today?
Priyanka Chopra: “She is completely original and fearless. Her stories in just three films are absolutely what she wants to say and she doesn’t want to follow a trend she doesn’t want to be like anyone. She has a voice and an opinion and raises issues which are very relevant to society in an entertaining way and I think that is great. This is the kind of film that will make you question yourself and hypocrisy but will make you laugh while doing it.”
Shefali Shah: “She is one of our most important filmmakers. She is almost a visionary she is fearless she has her values in the right place but her vision is far bigger and far more enterprising than cinema that has happened before.”
Ranveer Singh: “Zoya is extremely astute as a filmmaker and as a person. She has a remarkable insight into personal relationships. She is a very affectionate person; she is very expressive and I am also very expressive. Hence we have a connection. I know her since my struggling days and I hope I am in every Zoya Akhtar movie.”
Producer Ritesh Sidhwani on DDD writers Zoya Akhtar-Reema Kagti’s partnership:
“They know each other for more than 20-25 years. They started writing together. They made a pact that every time they write a film they will take turns directing starting off with Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (directed by Zoya) Talaash (written by both directed by Reema) and DDD is also written by both of them.”